1999
by Simply Look Around
Summary: Just another take on a Gibbs and Tony pre-show relationship and friendship. Kind of a dark humor. Will be a lot different than characters in show, only because they are growing into them. Warnings: No pairings thus far, but will have mentions. Violence (crime show). Rated for language and graphic descriptions. Unedited. Disclaimer: No, I don't own NCIS or anything else mentioned.


This is a fiction that will mainly concentrate on Gibbs and Tony before the show starts, and developing that relationship of camaraderie that was seen in the first little bit of the show that was taken away. Simply put, Gibbs and Tony become best friends.

This is not really a case fic as much as focusing on the little moments instead of the big picture.

Warnings: Language, violence (it is a crime show), drugs, dark humor, health related issues, mentions of sex, offensive language (it depends on what you get offended by. I am trying to create characters, not be politically correct).

Pairings? No, not really. There will be jokes and jabs, maybe a mention of slash here and there, but nothing graphic. Not trying to create a romance. Homo or Hetero.

-/-

 _27 December 1998 - 17:56 – Baltimore, Maryland_

"NCIS. Naval Criminal Investigative Service."

The words are strained, with a growling quality behind them.

"Baltimore. Police."

The response is just as strained, if not angry.

On the sidelines, an older gentleman is standing clutching a case in his hands, looking amused at the two standing off next to a dead body with various law enforcement personnel around them.

"Oh, Jethro," sighs the older man, shaking his head with tutting amusement as he pushes his spectacles up his nose.

"Lance!" calls out a loud voice, leading to a gentleman in a wrinkled suit making their way towards them. The man standing off against Jethro, more commonly Gibbs, straightens immediately, turning towards him. "What the hell is going on here?"

"NCIS, sir. They want jurisdiction on the case."

"Marine," points Gibbs, looking exasperated. He sees a flicker of amusement in the suited man's eyes.

"I see that. How about your ME helps out here, and we go back to the station," offers the suited man, getting a look of surprise from the medical examiner and speculation from the agent. "Promise, I am not trying to trick ya."

Gibbs growls, through the keys to the van at the medical examiner, who fumbles lightly catching them. "Don't let them do anything stupid, Duck."

"Now really, Jethro. That's just insulting," chides Ducky back with a smile. Gibbs snorts, following the suited man under the crime scene tape and out of the alley.

"I'm Detective Frank Harvey, but you can just call me Suit. Everyone and their sister does," introduces the man. Gibbs cannot suppress his amused look and raised brow, which the nicknamed Suit promptly ignores. "And, I know who you are Agent Gibbs. My second cousin, Stan, told me all about you."

"Burley," grunts Gibbs in surprise. Suit nods.

"Right in one," he confirms, starting the car and leading them the short way back to the police station.

Inside the station, Suit makes his way to a small crowded office that holds two desks in the center of a wall of filing cabinets and bulletin boards. One desk, which Suit sits at, is covered in files and coffee cups. The other, Suit gestures him to take, is clean and neat.

"My partner is a little OCD, god love him," brushes off the man, brown eyes crinkling.

"That doesn't explain why you pulled both of us from the crime scene."

Suit does not flinch under the gaze, merely leaning back in his chair and pointing towards the bulletin boards.

"That's because this body is a string in a long line of mob hits, and my partner is currently undercover," states the detective bluntly. Gibbs give him a stare. "Yeah, my captain would probably shoot me for mentioning an op, but my cousin knows you, and you going in blind is gonna up and kill my partner. And, the kid's grown on me."

Gibbs snorts, but nods.

Suit unlocks his desk drawer, pulling out a stack of files. He opens the first one in front of Gibbs, showing a picture of a uniformed cop with sandy hair, an even tan, and evergreen eyes with a megawatt smile.

"Let's just go over the important parts, alright. This is Tony DiNozzo. Despite his young appearance, he has been on 73 undercover operations while stationed in four different cities. Of those, sixty eight have been successful."

At this, Gibbs' eyebrows raise in disbelief, looking at the man's photo with new eyes.

"Four months ago, we sent Tone undercover in Baltimore's crime family, and he has done hell of a good job," states Suit proudly. "When this is all over, I am treating that kid to several dozen drinks."

Unfortunately, Detective Frank 'Suit' Harvey never gets to have those drinks. Two days later he is gunned down in a robbery.

And, for some reason, Gibbs can't quite stop thinking about the damned kid that Suit bragged about.

* * *

 _31 December 1998 – 22:56 – Baltimore Police Department_

Every well-planned undercover op has meetings and check ups on a regular basis for the mental health of those undercover. Sure, there could be a dozen safety precautions in place and backup plans. But, a man undercover is never at his best if he is too burnt out with nowhere to vent.

Gibbs sits in a small conference room in Baltimore PD waiting for the phone to ring for the weekly check in call for undercover Detective Anthony DiNozzo, Junior.

He picks up the rotary phone with a steady hand as it rings loudly.

 _"DiNozzo, checkin' in."_

The greeting is out before he even gets a word out, cheery and breathless.

"Nice to meet you, DiNozzo."

 _"You're not Suit."_

"No-."

 _"Oh, god. Frankie. When did he-"_

"A robbery, two days ago. They had the funeral service today."

 _"Fuck me."_

"…"

 _"…"_

"He bragged more about you than I've ever seen anyone brag."

 _"Suit is funny like that… I gave him that nickname, despite the Febees references. He always wore those damn suits, even when he knew they were just going to be ruined by blood or mud or something… Told me, 'DiNozzo, you dress for the job you want, not the job you have.'"_

"What did you say?"

 _"I already had the job I wanted. Hell, I am twenty seven and a detective. Frankie wasn't even over the hill yet. Barely fifty… Hey, who are you by the way? Transfer?"_

"Don't you think that is a little late … Gibbs. NCIS."

 _"Whoa. Navy cop. I guess the marine's death pulled you in."_

"Surprised you know what that is."

 _"Please. I spent six years in military school. I know my acronyms… I bet that's embarrassing, though. Does anyone ever tell you that you spelt CSI wrong?"_

Gibbs growls.

He brings in the New Year talking to the detective, grief stricken, but better at hiding it than anyone Gibbs has ever know.

* * *

 _15 January 1999 – 22:55 – NCIS Conference Room_

 _"DiNozzo, checkin' in."_

"Hey, kid."

 _"Gibbs! What a surprise. You my new handler?"_

"Well, Baltimore's a little low staffed and the marine made it a joint investigation."

 _"Well, well, well. So, you are my new faux-therapist…. You got a favorite movie, Gibbs?"_

"Yup."

 _"… Seriously… That's it. Not even gonna tell me."_

"You asked if I had one. Not what it was."

 _"Huh… screw you… hey, stop laughing!"_

"Been a long time since somebody told me that. Just this morning."

 _"Oh my god. You are one of those types… Gibbs! Seriously, stop laughing."_

* * *

 _31 January 1999 – 22:50 – NCIS Conference Room_

 _"When I was a kid, I wanted to be a pianist."_

"I thought being a marine was cool."

 _"Let me guess. You went out and did it."_

"Yup. Day I turned eighteen, I was at the train station."

 _"I wanted to 'cause of my mum. She was a pianist before she had me, taught me everything she could till she died."_

"…"

 _"Gave it up till high school. Then I met the music teacher."_

"At a military academy?"

 _"Hey! We needed the occasional club and extracurricular. It looked good for scholarships… Gibbs, stop laughing, I don't care if I can't hear it. I know you are laughing…. Anyways, Wendy was her name. I was very impressed with her. Met her again after college, when I was actually legal. Got engaged for awhile."_

"…"

 _"She liked to sleep around when I was on assignments. Caught her when I finished up a case early."_

"One of my wives was like that. One of the others just liked to take an iron to my head."

 _"Gulf club or clothes?"_

"Haven't gone gulfing since… or ironed my clothes, now that I think about it."

* * *

 _15 February 1999 – 23:00 – NCIS Conference Room_

"Running a little late, DiNozzo."

 _"Yeah, sorry about that… So, how many wives have you had."_

"Enough to be divorced three times."

 _"Still, gotta be something to you if you got three women to marry you."_

"It's the baby blues."

 _"Regular Sinatra, are you. Can you fly me to the moon, Gibbs?"_

"I ain't a child or one of your women, DiNozzo. You don't coo at me."

 _"Coo? Really, that's the word you choose to go with."_

* * *

 _28 February 1999 – 23:44 – Gibbs' Basement_

 _"And, then, then she looks over at me and asks 'Can I get you anything else, honeybuns?' And, oh my god, wouldn't you believe my hands went to protect my crotch after she put my frat brother on the ground like that."_

* * *

 _15 March 1999 – 22:35 – Gibbs' Basement_

"So, of course my hand just had a mind of it's own. Smacked Burley right in the back of the head."

 _"Gibbs! That's harassment…. And, I am pretty sure you are sloshed right now."_

"Maybe, maybe not,,,. The bottle still has liquid."

 _"Okay, okay. But, I expect for you to share that bourbon with me at some point. No fair you get to drink while I am stuck sober."_

"Suck it up, honeybuns."

* * *

 _1 April 1999 – 1:12- Gibbs' Basement_

 _"And, god, sometimes I just want to break cover and help these people… Jesus, past one. … Probably have to get off the phone soon."_

"Do you feel like you still need to talk?"

 _"Can we avoid the bad stuff now? End on a good note."_

"Sure, Tony. What do you want to talk about?"

 _"What were you doing before I called?"_

"Building a boat."

 _"It's the middle of winter."_

"I have a basement."

 _"Building a boat… in your basement. That is way too many Bs."_

"…"

 _"Gibbs, can I ask you an honest to god serious question? … How the hell do you get the boat out of your basement?"_

* * *

 _15 April 1999 – 22:34 – Gibbs' Basement_

"For the last time, DiNozzo. I'll tell you how I get it out once you are done. It's a thing you have to see in person."

* * *

 _31 April 1999 – 23:27 – Gibbs' Basement_

"Anything else to report?"

 _"Not that I can think of. Can we get to the fun part now?"_

"Fun for you or me?"

 _"Depends… what do you consider the fun part."_

"Hanging up."

 _"…"_

"…"

 _"Man, that is so mean."_

"Suck it up, honeybuns."

 _"Ignoring you. Now, put the movie in. I finally get to watch a movie with you. This is so exciting. Feel the excitement, Gibbs? Do ya? Do ya."_

"I feel something. Pretty sure it's just a headache."

 _"You will love it, Gibbs. Promise. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Classic."_

* * *

 _15 May 1999 – 22:54 – Gibbs' Basement_

 _"and then, Stupid shakes it, like it is going to help, and shoots Idiot. I mean, oh my god, Gibbs. How dumb do you have to be to not to when your gun is off safety, one. And, how to properly not shoot your partner, two? And, I mean really, why the heck do you want to rob a movie store of all places. They were rentals."_

* * *

 _1 June 1999 – 00:29 – Gibbs' Basement_

"I had this cat when I was eight. Her name was Dum Dum, after the lolly pop. And, I swear, this cat was a magician. Everyday, without fail, she would be sittin' on the porch after school waiting for me. So, one day, I snuck back inside and hid on one of the ledges in the attic to watch what she did. She would go to the attic door, turn the knob, go all the way downstairs to the basement door, open that and the lock up, and once she was in the basement would go up the old coal shoot. Then she would just sit on the porch all day."

 _"That was the wrong name for a cat."_

"Tell me about it."

 _"I had a rabbit once, when I was six. It ran away when I went to school."_

"…"

 _"I'm joking, Gibbs. We both know it didn't run away."_

* * *

 _15 June 1999 – 23:59 – Gibbs' Basement_

 _"What I wouldn't do for some good pie right now. Seriously, a nice crunchy curst, extra cheese, and sausage. Heaven."_

"…"

 _"Oh my god. You bastard. You fell asleep."_

* * *

 _30 June 1999 – 22:12 – Gibbs' Basement_

"What the hell, DiNozzo!"

 _"That, my good man, was a blow horn."_

"Yeah, and why did you decide to use it to deafen me?"

 _"You awake?"_

"…"

 _"Now, where was I? Oh yes, pizza…"_

* * *

 _16 September 1999 – 1:04 – Gibbs' Basement_

"Director, we have a problem… DiNozzo didn't report in."

-/-

So, thoughts?


End file.
